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MANAGING THE DRUG FUND. Municipal Technical Advisory Service County Technical Assistance Service Rex Barton Terry Hazard. The “ Drug Fund ”. The “ drug fund ” is a special revenue account. Similar to solid waste fund account or street aid fund account.
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MANAGING THE DRUG FUND Municipal Technical Advisory Service County Technical Assistance Service Rex Barton Terry Hazard
The “Drug Fund” • The “drug fund” is a special revenue account. • Similar to solid waste fund account or street aid fund account. • It is under the control of the city recorder/trustee !! • Confidential expenditures are made from a separate account (confidential account).
Sources of Revenue • Fines from drug offenses • 50% of the fine goes to the drug fund (special revenue account). • 50% of the fine goes to the General Fund. • Forfeited cash and the proceeds from the sale of forfeited property. • Donations. • Appropriations from governing body.
FORFEITED CASH AND THE PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF FORFEITED PROPERTY FINES DONATIONS APPROPRIATIONS SPECIAL REVENUE ACCOUNT (City Recorder/Trustee) 50% 50% **NOT the proceeds from the sale of DUI and DRL vehicles GENERAL FUND
LEGITIMATE EXPENDITURES General Categories • Local Drug Treatment Programs • Drug Court treatment programs • Drug Education Programs • Drug Enforcement • Operational expenses • Confidential expenses • Non-recurring General Law Enforcement Expenditures • Automated Fingerprint Machines
DRUG ENFORCEMENT • Operational • Automobiles for Drug Investigators • Maintenance and Operational Expenditures for drug officers automobile • Telephone Charges, including cellular charges • Office Supplies and Office Equipment for Drug Investigation Officers • Drug Identification Kits For Drug Investigators and Patrol officers
DRUG ENFORCEMENT (cont) • Operational (cont) • Drug Enforcement Training • Drug Dogs and Their Maintenance, Including Feed and Veterinary Service • General Drug Enforcement Expenditures Are Not Confidential • Must follow city/county purchasing guidelines
NON-RECURRING GENERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT • Not Drug Investigation related • Expenditures: • Patrol or administrative vehicles • Blue lights, sirens, radios, and radar units • Video cameras • Handguns, but not ammunition • Fax machine or copier
NON-RECURRING GENERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT (cont) • Expenditures (cont) • Patrol Dogs (non-drug dogs), but not feed or veterinary services • Treat dual trained dogs as drug dogs • Computers • Original software purchase, but not maintenance or upgrades
NON-RECURRING GENERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT (cont) • Body armor • Shotguns and rifles • Tasers • Cell phones, including smart phones • But not the monthly bills
AUTOMATED FINGERPRINT MACHINES • Must set aside 20% of drug fund revenues until machine is purchased or have an agreement with another agency (having a machine) • After purchase or agreement, may use 20% of revenues to pay for line charges and maintenance
DONATIONS • Any charitable donation must follow state law • Cities • TCA 6-54-111 • Counties • TCA 5-9-109
DONATIONS,Generally speaking • Must be a 501(c) (3) (4) or (6) organizations • Must provide financial reports, including audit, to government • Funds for other non-profits, other than charitable organizations, may be made once notices have been published in a newspaper of general circulation, specifying amount and purpose • Must be approved by governing body
DONATIONS,Generally speaking • Any donation must meet the criteria of one of the qualifying expenditures categories • Drug treatment • Drug education • Drug enforcement • Non-recurring general law enforcement expenditures
DONATIONS,Generally speaking • Sponsoring a sports team is NOT drug education • Putting “Just say no to drugs,” on a jersey does not justify the expenditure • Ask yourself, “What is the true purpose of the expenditure?” • If it walks like a duck……….
SPECIAL REVENUE ACCOUNT (City Recorder/Trustee) Expenditures Must Follow Purchasing Guidelines CONFIDENTIAL ACCOUNT Expenditures Must Follow Comptroller’s Guidelines
The municipal “Drug Fund”, by statute, is under the control of the City Recorder whether it has a separate checking account or not. County Trustee for counties
The “Confidential Checking Account”, authorized by the Comptroller in the Procedures for Handling Cash Transactions Related to Undercover Investigative Operations of County and Municipal Drug Enforcement Programs, is under the control of the Police Chief or Sheriff.
Purchasing Procedures The Drug Fund, like any other fund of the municipality or county, is required to comply with municipal or county purchasing procedures.
Purchasing Procedures • Purchasing procedures may be found in: • Municipal Charter • Purchasing Ordinances • If those are silent on the issue, you fall under the 1983 Municipal Purchasing Law.
Purchasing Procedures • Purchasing procedures for counties may be found in: • General Law • Fiscal Control Act of 1957 • County Financial Management System of 1981 • Private Acts approved by the legislature
SPECIAL REVENUE ACCOUNT • Under the control of the Recorder/Trustee • Budget for drug fund approved annually • Except confidential expenditures, MUST follow city/county purchasing guidelines • Confidential Expenditures MUST follow Comptroller’s guidelines
FORFEITED CASH AND THE PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF FORFEITED PROPERTY DONATIONS APPROPRIATIONS FINES Separate Checking Account SPECIAL REVENUE ACCOUNT (City Recorder/Trustee) 50% 50% CONFIDENTIAL ACCOUNT GENERAL FUND
SPECIAL REVENUE ACCOUNT (City Recorder/Trustee) Expenditures Must Follow Purchasing Guidelines CONFIDENTIAL ACCOUNT Expenditures Must Follow Comptroller’s Guidelines
CONFIDENTIAL EXPENDITURES • Confidential Expenditures • Payments made to an informant • Payments made to an undercover agent • Money spent to actually purchase drugs as part of an investigation • Gasoline or maintenance for undercover vehicle or informant’s vehicle • Must follow Comptroller’s Guidelines
DOCUMENTATION • Documentation for every exchange of funds • Custodian: • Exchanges from or to Recorder/Trustee • Exchanges to or from agents • Agents: • Every exchange of funds, and • Receipt from informant, witnessed
Audit Logs(Balance Ledger) • Custodian: • “Custodian’s Activity Log for Confidential Transactions” Balance sheet • Agent: • “Agent’s Activity Log for all Confidential Funds” Balance Sheet • “Summary Informant Log”, for each informant
SPECIAL REVENUE FUND City Recorder/Trustee R-1 CONFIDENTIAL ACCOUNT Chief/Sheriff/Custodian A-2 CASH Agent A-4 A-5 A-4 Informant Transaction
SPECIAL REVENUE FUND City Recorder/Trustee R-1 CONFIDENTIAL ACCOUNT Chief/Sheriff/Custodian A-2 A-1 R-2 R-3 A-7 CASH Agent A-4 A-5 A-4 Informant Transaction
SPECIAL REVENUE FUND City Recorder/Trustee R-1 CONFIDENTIAL ACCOUNT Chief/Sheriff/Custodian A-2 A-3 A-6 A-1 R-2 R-3 A-7 CASH Agent A-4 A-5 A-4 Informant Transaction
SPECIAL REVENUE FUND City Recorder/Trustee R-1 CONFIDENTIAL ACCOUNT Chief/Sheriff/Custodian A-7 R-2 R-3 A-1 Custodian’s Activity Log for Confidential Funds Confidential Fund Monthly Reconciliation Report Quarterly Report
SPECIAL REVENUE FUND City Recorder/Trustee R-1 CONFIDENTIAL ACCOUNT Chief/Sheriff/Custodian A-2 A-3 A-6 A-1 R-2 R-3 A-7 CASH Agent A-4 A-5 A-4 Informant Transaction
Managing informants? Best Practices
Managing Informants • Criminal history for all informants? Update? • Command approval? • Documentation of informant activity history? • Correlate informant activity to arrests and convictions?
Authority • State law authorizes the comptroller’s office to promulgate rules for municipal and county processes • Maintain the public’s confidence • The law requires counties and municipalities to meet compliance standards. • Not restricted to financial matters, includes processes
Property and Evidence • Secure property and evidence storage facility • Procedures for property and evidence: Institutional Control • Evidence that you follow the procedures • Officers store stuff in personal locker? • Annual inventory
Priority Items • Cash • Firearms • Drugs • Vehicles
Cash • Unless cash is required as evidence, do not keep cash. • Check with the local DA to determine the need to maintain cash as evidence • Deposit in a bank • If needed, the city can issue a check to return money • Absolutely, do not keep in drawer or locker
Cash • All funds received by cities and counties must be deposited in the bank within 3 days • TCA 6-56-111(a) cities • TCA 5-8-207 counties • When cash is needed as evidence officers should consult with appropriate prosecuting authorities
Interest Bearing Account? • Do you deposit the seized money in an interest bearing account? • If you lose the forfeiture hearing, you may owe the earned interest to the defendant • You may be required to provide an IRS 1099 form • Multiple deposits: Interest for which deposit?
Firearms • TCA 39-17-1317 requires firearms that were held as evidence in case or otherwise used or possessed illegally to be sold, exchanged or retained for LE purposes • Pursuant to court order • Action must take place between 60 and 180 days after the last legal proceeding involving the weapon • File an affidavit of return, if sold
Sale of Firearms • Public Auction within six months of the court order • Advertised in local newspaper for at least three editions and not less than 30 days before the sale • Proceeds to the general fund to be used solely for law enforcement purposes
Firearms • Sell • Should contract with a licensed firearms dealer • Retain • You can exchange for ammo, firearms or body armor
FIREARMS Firearm Unsafe Firearms If Unsafe Obtain Court Order Affidavit of Return DESTROY Destroy
FIREARMS Firearm To Retain Firearms To Retain Petition the Court for Title
FIREARMS Firearm To Exchange Firearms To Retain Petition the Court for Title To Exchange Firearms Ammo Body Armor Petition the Court for Order
FIREARMS Firearm Advertise in Local Newspaper To Sell May use Firearms Dealer Public Sale Petition the Court for Order Affidavit of Return Buyer, Description of Firearm, Selling Price
FIREARMS Firearm If Unsafe To Sell To Retain Petition the Court for Order DESTROY, With court order. Return to court Petition the Court for Title Advertise, Then Sell To Exchange Firearms Ammo Body Armor Petition the Court for Order Affidavit of Return